Alexander was named NFL MVP for the 2005 season, when he set a single-season touchdown record (since broken) and led the Seahawks to their first-ever Super Bowl appearance. Though Seattle lost and the running back quickly lost his dominance, he certainly belongs among the Emerald City's best-ever football players. He holds the Hawks' franchise record with 9,429 rushing yards and is second all-time in scoring with 672 total points.

A five-time Pro Bowler and four-time All-Pro first-teamer, Easley was the lynchpin of Seahawks coach Chuck Knox's defense, earning him NFL Defensive Player of the Year honors in 1984. One of the most dominant defenders of the 1980s, Easley is now in the Seahawks Ring of Honor after eight years in the NFL -- a career cut short by a diagnosis of kidney disease.

Recruited out of Spokane by legendary Washington coach Don James, Emtman (pictured at center) became a star in 1990 and was widely considered the best member of the Huskies' 1991 national championship team, winning both the Outland Trophy and Lombardi Award that season. Declaring for the NFL Draft a year early, Emtman was the first-overall pick in 1992 by the Indianapolis Colts, but knee injuries marred the defensive end's pro career. He was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 2006.

Say what you will about the tail end of Hasselbeck's career in Seattle, he was the first quarterback to lead the Seahawks to the Super Bowl. Though the Hawks lost in February 2006 to the Steelers, Hasselbeck was the guy in Seattle sports for many years, playing for the Hawks from 2001 through 2010. The three-time Pro Bowler holds the franchise record with 29,434 career passing yards and is likely headed to the Seahawks Ring of Honor.

Considered one of the best offensive tackles to ever play the game, Jones spent all 12 of his pro seasons with the Seahawks. He was the best linemen on the scary 2005 Seahawks O-line and was integral to Seattle's advancing to Super Bowl XL. A nine-time Pro Bowler and six-time All-Pro first-teamer, Jones was elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in February, on the eve of the 2013 Seahawks' Super Bowl XLVIII victory.

Like Jones on offense, Kennedy is considered one of the best defensive tackles to ever play the game. Another lifetime Seahawk, Kennedy collected 58 sacks and 668 total tackles over his 11 years in the NFL -- and stuck around despite playing during a humdrum decade for the Seahawks. Retiring after the 2000 season, Kennedy was an eight-time Pro Bowler and was named to the All-Pro first team five times, and is now in the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

Many Seahawks fans would tell you Largent was the best player in franchise history. He is by far the team leader in receiving yards with 13,089, collecting 100 touchdowns over his 14 years with Seattle -- from the team's inception in 1976 through 1989. A seven-time Pro Bowler and an All-Pro in 1985, Largent is one of the few Seahawks to have his jersey number retired and is a member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

You can't talk about Seattle football history without talking about the Beast Quake -- Lynch's 67-yard touchdown run in the Seahawks' unlikely playoff victory over the defending-champion Saints in January 2011. Still on the team, "Beast Mode" is steadily climbing Seattle's record books and is currently fourth with 4,624 career rushing yards for the Hawks. Considered one of the best running backs in the game today, the four-time Pro Bowler and one-time All-Pro first-teamer has been integral to Seattle's recent success on the gridiron.

With a cannon for an arm, Moon led Don James' Huskies to the Rose Bowl in 1978 (pictured: Moon at left, James at right), for which he was named MVP. Yet his greatest success came in the NFL, where he led the Houston Oilers to seven-straight playoff appearances. The nine-time Pro Bowler returned to Seattle in 1997 to quarterback the Seahawks for two years, and is now the radio color commentator for Hawks broadcasts. He was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2006.

Raised in Oregon and a member of the Cherokee Nation, Sixkiller arrived on Montlake in 1970 and helped turn the Huskies around as other Seattle sports teams floundered. He brought excitement back to Husky Stadium, turning heads with his quick feet and soaring downfield passes. Though he tried to make it in the NFL and the Canadian Football League, it never worked out. He still lives in the Pacific Northwest.

Corey Dillon, Huskies: One of the best running backs to come through Washington, Dillon still holds the school's single-season rushing record with 1,695 yards in 1996. A second-round pick by the NFL's Cincinnati Bengals, Dillon ended up playing 10 pro years -- four of them Pro Bowl-worthy -- and tallying 11,241 rushing yards.

Richard Sherman, Seahawks: Sherman may be the best cornerback in the game and he may become one of the best Seahawks in history, but he's not there yet. He led the NFL in interceptions for the past two seasons and sent Seattle to Super Bowl XLVIII with his famous "tip," and is now one of the best-known players in the entire NFL.

Earl Thomas, Seahawks: Perhaps the best player on the NFL's best secondary, Thomas has proven himself an irreplaceable asset for today's Seahawks. A three-time Pro Bowler and two-time All-Pro first-teamer, the free safety has never missed a game and has improved in each of his four pro seasons. He was integral to Seattle's run to Super Bowl XLVIII.

Marques Tuiasosopo, Huskies: Starting for most of his four years on Montlake, Tuiasosopo ranks sixth these days on UW's career passing list with 5,879 yards. In 1999, he became the first NCAA football player to pass for over 300 yards and rush for over 200 yards in a single game, and was MVP of the 2000 Huskies' Rose Bowl victory over Purdue. He played six years in the NFL, all as a backup for the Oakland Raiders.

Russell Wilson, Seahawks: He led the Seahawks to Super Bowl victory in just his second year in the NFL, and has established himself as Seattle's franchise quarterback for years to come. Already a two-time Pro Bowler, because his career is so young he has yet to earn a spot among our top 10. He seems destined to be one of the best athletes in Seattle sports history, just give him another decade or so.

This summer we’re asking readers to choose the greatest athlete in Seattle sports history. Over six weeks in July and August, we’re asking you to vote in our “tournament,” and we will crown the winner in August after the voting has ended.

Last weekend we showed you our top 10 choices for the greatest baseball player in Seattle history. Not surprisingly, Ken Griffey Jr. ran away with the top spot. Edgar Martinez is currently in second place, poised to advance to the next round of our tournament — but Ichiro Suzuki, Felix Hernandez and Randy Johnson are all threatening. Voting is still open.

This weekend we’ve selected our top 10 football players in Seattle history. Like our recent list of the 20 best current Seattle Seahawks, we don’t expect you to agree with all of our choices, so feel free to comment. But be sure to vote for your top two choices in the poll below.

Here’s how it works. We have four initial rounds of voting based on four categories: baseball, football (this post), basketball and everything else. The top two vote-getters from each round will advance to the semifinals; in August, readers will be able to choose who moves on to the final. Then we will find out whom readers picked as the greatest athlete in Seattle sports history.